Qunu caught up in spat over Madiba's legacy

Qunu the home village of Nelson Mandela, has been caught up in a spat between the former president's grandson and a national heritage organisation that oversees Mandela's legacy projects.

The feud between Chief Mandla Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Museum is about a range of issues, from control of museums to a multimillion-rand grant to fund projects in Mthatha, Qunu and Mvezo.

This week, villagers and family members living in the area were drawn into the fray after Mandla allegedly banned them from attending a prayer service for his grandfather that had been organised by the museum's management.

Instead, Friday's service was attended by pupils, teachers and church leaders from various congregations.

Only one traditional leader, Chief Zanomthetho Mtirara of Mqhekezweni, attended.

Mtirara, an estranged relative of Mandla's, told the gathering that even though the Mandela family had not attended, it was still an important service

"We are here and the heavens will hear our prayers," he said.

At the time, Mandla was at a government event addressed by President Jacob Zuma.

It is understood that the museum was forced to withdraw several scheduled radio advertisements inviting people to the service.

A member of the Mvezo Traditional Council, which advises Mandla, said he had questioned the museum's authority to organise the service.

Management at the museum declined to comment, and several attempts to contact Mandla were unsuccessful.

It is understood that the feud centres on Mandla's attempts to make Mvezo, where Mandela was born, the museum's tourism centrepiece.

Mandla was appointed chief of Mvezo in 2008.

The museum has apparently rejected his proposal to exhume Mandela family graves at Qunu and move the remains to Mvezo .

Mandla has responded by banning the museum's staff and management from entering Mvezo and other villages that the organisation wants to include in the Mandela heritage map .

The museum's management has, in turn, stalled his plans to obtain an R8-million grant from the National Lottery Board for the second phase of the Mvezo museum .

The funds are with the Lotto National Fund, which requires the museum's authority for disbursement.

The squabble comes as the Eastern Cape government this week began speeding up renovations at Mthatha Airport and resurfacing and upgrading the road between Mthatha and Qunu.

The SA National Roads Agency and the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, which incorporates Mthatha and Qunu, have released R125-million to upgrade and resurface the N2 between Mthatha and Mthentu Cuttings.

Airport renovations were tabled with the provincial department of transport on Tuesday and were approved on Wednesday.

They must be completed within two weeks